God's Instrument of Redemption

Isaiah 44:24-45:13

Introduction

e.g. If I say Donald Trump is an instrument of God there’s likely to be a range of responses

For many he’s either the Messiah or the Antichrist

Neither of those things have to be true for my statement to be true

Today’s text speaks to us of Cyrus, king of Persia, who was looked on similarly

He was a pagan king who doesn’t seem to have truly worshipped God but will be used for righteousness

That seems to have caused Israel some considerable angst

Isaiah has revealed the captivity that’s coming & spoken about restoration to follow

Here we’re given more details about how Israel will be restored after chastisement

Detail is remarkable being it was given hundreds of years before it would happen

This is one reason some scholars believe it was written later by another person

God’s argument previously was that a proof He was God and no-one else is because He could reveal future

How is God going to restore Israel after their capitivity and why does it matter?

READ Isaiah 44:24-45:13

Particularly the promise is that God would restore Judah & Jerusalem

That doesn’t mean the northern tribes are forgotten or excluded

God will use a pagan king to restore Jerusalem and we receive the benefit of that today

The Promise of Redemption

Isaiah 44:24-28

God is Your Redeemer (Isa. 44:24)

What was lost will be restored

As always, the way God reveals Himself is important

Redemption is central to God’s purpose & work in this world

God is a Redeemer, He is your Redeemer

Redemption does speak about delivering from bondage, setting free

Redemption is also about restoring what was lost

Returning you to a position before you were in bondage

For Israel/Judah, so much has been lost and so much more loss to come

They’ve been in bondage to nations around them, to false gods, to sin

Their rebellion against God took them out of blessing and into judgment

This judgment would culminate in captivity to Babylon

In God’s grace and faithfulness God would bring them out of judgment and back into blessing

God will restore what was lost through their sin & rebellion

This is the great work of redemption throughout history

God is working to restore what was lost

John 8:34 “34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

When sin entered the world we lost everything and became captive to sin

We lost relationship with God, blessings of God, joy, life, perfect place in Garden, everything

God is working to redeem a people for Himself, to restore what was lost through sin

God is Your Maker

This isn’t just a transaction, a work to be done to show He can do it

This work of redemption is personal

For Israel it is personal because God formed, created this nation

He called Abraham & promised it to him

Told Abe his descendants would be in bondage in Egypt 400 years

God would free them and make them a nation and give them a land

God’s work of redemption is personal

I believe in ‘Particular Redemption’ - which I think this passage supports

Whether you believe in particular or unlimited redemption both believe God personally & lovingly acts to redeem

Psalm 139:13 “13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.”

God personally formed you

Peter tells us God is ‘delays’ the final fulilment of redemption so that people may repent (2 Pet. 3:8-9)

God Can Redeem (Isa. 44:24-25)

Strong enough to redeem

As we’re used to seeing in Isaiah, God doesn’t just say He can do something

He reminds us that He is capable of doing it

He re-emphasises the point that He, alone, is God

Not only did He create Israel & you but He created everything, on His own

He can redeem

Wise enough to redeem

This isn’t a puzzle or quiz for Him to figure out

Not a game of chess where He must constantly move to counter ours or Satan’s move

Wisest on earth try to figure things out amongst the infinite possibilities every choice creates

God knows what to do, how to do it & when it should be done

Redemption isn’t a challenge to God, not an ‘escape room’

God knows exactly how to redeem

God Promises to Redeem (Isa. 44:26-28)

Rebuild Jerusalem

Promise affirmed here is that Jerusalm & cities of Judah will be rebuilt

Judah’s sin would cause them to become captives, lose their land, their houses, blessings of God, temple

Redemption is that God would free them from bondage, return them to their cities and land & rebuild

When God formed this nation He made promises to them & He intends to keep every one of them

Now they know who to look for - Cyrus

To Jews this is a shocking revelation

Especially as he is described as God’s shepherd & His anointed

These words weren’t written to Cyrus primarily

Josephesus records that Cyrus knew & read these prophecies

Possible God revealed it directly to Cyrus

Possilbe Daniel showed him or revealed it to him

This promise was fulfilled exactly as spoken

Ezra 1:1–2 NKJV

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.

Preparation for the Redeemer

This is about more than just rebuilding a city or redeeming a nation

It’s about more than God just keeping a promise He made to a single nation

This matters because the promises ot Israel reach to the whole world

Why does it matter that Judah is restored again? Why does it matter that Jerusalem is rebuilt?

It is in a small town in Judah that THE REDEEMER would be born to a lowly Jewish couple

It is in Jerusalem the THE REDEEMER would pay the debt required

The Work of Redemption

Isaiah 45:1-8

The Work of God (Isa. 45:1-3)

Unexpected deliverer

Cyrus is identified by name again but what is interesting is the way he is described

Cyrus is a pagan king

In Ezra he is shown to speak of God highly, history shows he did this with many gods

Israel is used to a different kind of deliverer

One of their own

Moses is the great deliverer at the Exodus

David is the great, mighty king of Israel

God doesn’t raise up a Judge or a king or another Moses

God will bring redemption through Cyrus

Cyrus - called ‘My shepherd’ (Isa. 44:28)

Cyrus - Lord’s anointed

Anointed is a word usually connected with Davidic line of kings

God is the deliverer

Here is the real key to the restoration and rebuilding - Cyrus isn’t the real deliverer!

God is the deliverer, Cyrus is the instrument God uses

“I will go before you” + “I will give you”

There is some interesting historical bckground about Cyrus’ rise that may be referenced in Isa. 45:3

Don’t have time to get into it but it does show how God went before Cyrus

Whether we talk about Moses or Judges or David the same is true - God is the real deliverer

For the People of God (Isa. 45:4)

For the good of His people

As we’ve seen many times, God will move the world for the good of His people

Why? Because God has set His favour on them, they are called by His name, He has committed Himself to His people

When Israel is at it’s lowest, God will raise a deliverer

That truth runs all through Scripture - God moves for the good of His people today

e.g. God Moves

O fearful saints new courage take The clouds that you now dread Are big with mercy and will break In blessings on your head Judge not the Lord by feeble sense But trust Him for His grace Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face

God’s purposes will ripen fast Unfolding every hour The bud may have a bitter taste But sweet will be the flower Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain God is His own interpreter And He will make it plain

God is Your Redeemer

God has shown you grace

God isn’t restoring Judah & Jerusalem because they will earn it back

God restores because He is full of grace

This is the beating heart of redemption - grace

God will restore your life to a place of blessing, life & fellowship with Him because of grace

Major theme of the Reformation

And the Glory of God (Isa. 45:5)

Through the whole earth

By God being gracious to Israel the whole earth sees the grace of God

Every part of earth from rising of sun to setting will see God reigns

Psalm 113:3–4 “3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens.”

There is none like our God

The Instrument of Redemption

Isaiah 45:9-13

Is Not Ours to Determine (Isa. 45:9-10)

Warning against questioning God

Use of Cyrus as God’s instrument seems to upset people of Judah

They question God’s decision which ultimately is a refusal to let God be God

They find it reprehensible that a pagan like Cyrus could deliver them

God gives them a warning

After all, it is their attitude towards God that put them in this place

What right, authority or ability do they have to question the way God works, what He does?

Their just bits of clay, amongs other bits of clay in the dust

Further, He asks, do the things you make question you about what you did? Of course not

This isn’t expressing confusion or misunderstanding to God

This is people who disagree with God’s actions & believe they have right answer

Don’t argue with your Maker

Warning is don’t argue with your maker

That is what brought you into the situation you’re in now

That is why you are bound by sin, under condemnation

Clearly you don’t know the way to freedom

God’s way of salvation may seem unusual to you, difficult - having to repent

God is the Redeemer - follow Him you will find freedom

Is God’s to Direct (Isa. 45:11-13)

God knows what He is doing

God will accomplish His Righteous Purpose

Conclusion

God is a redeemer

He redeemed Israel & brought them back into the land to fulfil His promise by sending Jesus

That work of redemption is still going on as God brings everything to it’s final, glorious end

God will restore in full everything that was lost because of sin

The way you find that redemption is to trust God, believe Jesus is the Redeemer

It may seem strange, perhaps not hard enough because you don’t have to work for it

God’s way of redemption is by faith in Jesus

Believer as we watch the plan of redemption unfold in the world & in our life don’t argue with God

Trust Him, He has promised to redeem

He has promised to work for your sake - your good

Believe Him